Find yourself a brown sofa and a cat called Snowball; it’s time to check out the best Simpsons games of the year!
The Simpsons are a family that need no introduction. If you don’t know who they are, then seriously; where have you been all your life?
Homer might not be the best dad and Bart might be a little cretin most of the time, but at the end of it all, the Simpsons help each other out through thick and thin and always seem to come through for each other.
They’ve been a pivotal part of our lives for generations now, growing up with the kids that never age but whose life lessons have stuck with us over the years.
Now, it’s time to relive all those nostalgic feels as we check out the best Simpsons games dedicated to this barmy family.
Let’s see which titles made the cut!
10. The Simpsons: Bart vs. The Juggernauts (1992)
The Simpsons: Bart vs. The Juggernauts kickstarts our list of the best Simpsons game with some gladiator-style panache.
I’m not talking about the ancient Roman fighters of old here, but more of a parody of the Gladiators shows that were popular in both the UK and Britain.
Imagine spandex wearing figures competing against members of the public, but with the Bart taking the reigns instead!
The main premise of Bart VS the Juggernauts sees everyone’s favourite spiky-haired Simpson competing against characters from the TV show that are about 4 times his size.
Play through levels boasting a series of mini-games including basketball, wrestling, and of course, skateboarding.
The graphics are pretty simple, but then again, it is a DMG title. That green hue really brings back some memories!
9. The Simpsons: Bartman Meets Radioactive Man (1992)
Two heroes collide in our next title; The Simpsons: Bartman Meets Radioactive Man!
Still simple graphics, but the NES brings a splash of colour to 1992 Springfield this time. Step into Radioactive Man’s world to save him from Limbo Zone.
That’s a place near a black hole, not some kind of hell where players have to limbo incessantly.
When Fallout Boy tells Bart he must save his hero, Bartman jumps into action. Defeat evil minions and battle super villains as you avoid traps and collect helpful items.
This isn’t anywhere near as hard as Alex Kid or other tough side-scrollers, but it’s good fun and a must have for Simpsons fans.
Who wouldn’t want to be Bartman, for crying out loud!
8. The Simpsons: Night of the Living Treehouse of Horror (2001)
The Simpsons: Night of the Living Treehouse of Horror takes the 8th spot in our list of the best Simpsons games.
And yes, it is as weird as you might have guessed.
Though then again, I’ve never seen a Treehouse of Horror episode that didn’t leave me weirded out, so it’s a good job really.
After falling asleep in Bart’s treehouse, each Simpson’s family member gets captured by an evil spirit. To get back to the normal world, they have to fight their way through their own personal nightmare.
If you’re a huge Simpsons fan, then you’re bound to recognise scenes from the Treehouse of Horror episodes as you play through the levels.
Play as Maggie the fly, Homer taking over Richter Belmont as a vampire killer, and Lisa stoping cannibal teachers from taking a bite out of her.
7. Virtual Bart (1994)
Virtual Bart is another weird old game… but I guess the whole concept of the Simpsons is anything but normal most of the time, come to think of it.
Super smart Martin Prince has made a VR machine, and Bart is now strapped into it.
Work your way through a series of bizarre situations as you try to escape the virtual world before Martin’s genius program crashes.
There are only 6 levels; three side-scrolling and three viewed from behind Bart’s back.
Play as a dinosaur, a baby, and a pig. Drive motorcycles, hit up slides, and generally cause havoc at all times.
The levels are random too; just spin the wheel and see what comes up!
6. Krusty’s Super Fun House (1992)
Of course the SNES version of Krusty’s Fun House has ‘super’ in the title – Krusty’s Super Fun House is up next!
You might have played this game on the Sega or the NES before. The SNES version is the same, just with 16 bit graphics.
The premise; Krusty’s Fun House is no longer a fun place to be. In, fact, it’s full of rats, and Krusty has to sort it out.
Seeing a clown herding rats into traps is much more exciting than you might have originally guessed.
Scrap that; it’s also uber addictive!
Work with the level and scenery to make routes for the rats to travel along so they go straight into each trap. Play with pipes, fans, and blocks, working with other memorable Simpsons characters along the way!
5. The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield (1997)
Fancy playing God? The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield is next up on our best Simpsons games list.
Imagine being able to interact with Springfield from the outside, walking around classic scenes and locations.
The aim of this game is to eventually tick off all the Simpson’s characters. It’s basically like a Pokedex full of Springfield citizens… which sounds good to me!
Collect items that will help you get into new areas, explore TV’s most famous town, and take part in scenarios in all your favourite areas.
We’re talking Moe’s Tavern, the Simpson’s family home, the Kwik-E-Mart, and many more!
4. The Simpsons Game (2007)
When a trip to buy a video game goes awry, Bart and the other members of the Simpson’s family find themselves part of a game of their own – The Simpsons Game!
Upon finding an instruction manual, the Simpsons discover they have hidden abilities. Sadly, two other beings have happened to notice this strange miracle; Kang and Kodos.
Cue an alien invasion and the Simpsons having to protect Springfield and the world, all while finding out what the heck is going on!
Play through 16 levels, each separated by original content that could have jumped straight from the TV show.
But what powers have the family suddenly discovered?
Well, Homer can turn into a blob and Bart fully becomes Bartman. Use the ‘Hand of Buddha as Lisa to move objects, and control the masses with Marge as she sends Maggie into hard-to-reach places.
If you’re going to get any version of this game, make sure it’s either the PS3 or Xbox 360 version. They allow players to just roam aimlessly and explore Springfield to their hearts content in between missions.
Neat, right?
3. The Simpsons: Road Rage (2001)
The Simpsons: Road Rage slams into 3rd position in our best Simpsons game list, and what a game it is!
How do you make the concept of Crazy Taxi even better? How about dropping Simpsons characters into the mix and driving them to locations around Springfield?
Dodging Mr Burns as he tries to ram you off the road, taking Reverend Lovejoy to church or Grandpa Simpson back to the home… it’ doesn’t get much better than that!
Who was your favourite racer in Road Rage? I think mine had to be Professor Frink in his super-swish flying car, or maybe Otto in the school bus.
Heck, they were all amazing, especially the holiday characters that showed up periodically throughout the year.
And the best bit was that you could just change your GameCube’s internal clock to access them at any time. Cheating is the best!
2. The Simpson: Arcade Game (1991)
The Simpsons: Arcade Game remains one of the best beat em up games of all time and a real classic that dominated the gaming scene in the 90s.
Imagine Streets of Rage, Springfield style. Use Homer’s angry might to kick and punch, or swing your favourite board with Bart.
Go HAM with a hoover by picking Marge, or channel the Belmont Clan as Lisa with her whip.
But why is all this happening in the first place?
It’s simple, really. Smithers steals a Diamond for Mr Burns, Maggie swallows the diamond, and Smithers steals Maggie. It’s your classic ‘baby eats treasure scenario’, that old chestnut!
Play through all the usual Springfield areas including the Power Plant, Krustyland, Moe’s Tavern, and all the other classic locations from the show.
Plus, how many beat em up games have minigames to play along with too?
1. The Simpsons: Hit & Run (2003)
The results are in, folks; The Simpsons: Hit & Run is officially the best Simpsons game of all time!
Forget replacing Crazy Taxi with Simpson’s characters; how about swapping out GTA characters for Homer and the gang?
Not only that, but add in the original voice actors from the TV show and fifty missions to play through in a whole new adventure, and you should instantly be able to see why this title tops our best Simpsons games list!
Grab cars from innocent citizens, smash stuff, battle bees, and do whatever it takes to stop the town from falling under the influence of Buzz Cola.
Play along with your mates in the epic multiplayer mode and unlock collectibles as you play through the game.
Yep, it’s the ultimate Simpsons experience and one of the zaniest, most exciting hard-to-put-down games I’ve ever played!
What did you think to our list of the best Simpsons games? Join the conversation over on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
Seb Santabarbara has bought every Nintendo console that has ever been released in his 31 years on Planet Earth. His favourite game franchise is Zelda, and he’s patiently waiting for Banjo-Kazooie to come back to the fold. When he’s not playing games, he’s travelling the world in his self-converted camper van.
